Question:In the past, before I got interested in Gundam models, I'd seen references to models that have light-up internal structures, and ones that have 'animated' GN-drives...

Anyone ever build these, or know of them?

The old PGs use to have light-up eyes or chest (Wing Zero Custom). I recall the 1/60 NG Strike Freedom had the light-up body. Then of course, these days, there's MG Exia with the light-up chest and PG 00 Raiser with the light-up, animated GN drives.

The old PGs use to have light-up eyes or chest (Wing Zero Custom). I recall the 1/60 NG Strike Freedom had the light-up body. Then of course, these days, there's MG Exia with the light-up chest and PG 00 Raiser with the light-up, animated GN drives.

There is a whole line of 1/60 LightupsStrike Freedom is pretty good. Its leaner than its NG Destiny 1/60 Cousins. Then there is the Rick Dom and the Go-uuf, which are closer to anything PG like.

PS. On the same Bandai 30th Page, I see that they will be releasing Metallic Coating PGs SOB!!! They look nice!~ I wonder why someone cant pick up distribution rights for Gunpla. Bandai would gain and have more feedback from collectors in what they release and get some parts support!

I wonder why someone cant pick up distribution rights for Gunpla. Bandai would gain and have more feedback from collectors in what they release and get some parts support!

QUOTE (azrael @ Apr 2 2010, 03:47 PM)

Bandai America did pick up the distribution rights. But weak demand forced them to discontinue distributing them outside of Japan.

Bandai America used to distribute quite a bit. There were HGUC and even UC MG kits available at places like Target and Toys R Us way back when, and lots of MSIAs. IIRC they started selling MSIA (and some weird larger G-Gundam goods, and then went to Wing/Endless Waltz MSIAs and kits and then finally UC stuff with the last I remember seeing being Char's Counter Attack stuff, including the huge Nu Gundam and Sazabi action figures. They always seemed to sell relatively well except for various figures of unpopular characters and most of the G-Gundam line so I never understood why they ended up pulling out. Of course, by the time they started doing the UC stuff, there was little TV show support so that might have been part of it.

However, model kits and some figures are still distributed in the US by Bandai America. Playmos can be bought at hobby stores which I believe are distributed by Bandai America (they have a sticker to "Americanize" the warnings, anyway, like they used to have at Target and Toys R Us). Hobby Town USA has carried some MSIAs and HCMPros, and also Gashapon toys as well.

Okay question for you guys, last year I got the Version Ka Unicorn Gundam, and on ebay I ordered a Robot Spirits figure of the Destroyer mode BUT they sent me a MG Gundam Unicorn kit that is not in the Version Ka box. I heard there was an "upgraded" version released and wonder if that's what I just received? Came in the typical MG Gundam style box design and I heard color was altered on the new version and was given vulcans, which what I'm seeing in this release. I can't compare it to my old Unicorn kit cause it's been boxed up from my move.

Did I just get the upgrade or is it just a different boxed version and everything else is the same?

Interests:Gundam and Macross, machining and welding, and electronic music.

Posted 05 April 2010 - 03:06 PM

QUOTE (Hikuro @ Apr 5 2010, 05:56 PM)

Okay question for you guys, last year I got the Version Ka Unicorn Gundam, and on ebay I ordered a Robot Spirits figure of the Destroyer mode BUT they sent me a MG Gundam Unicorn kit that is not in the Version Ka box. I heard there was an "upgraded" version released and wonder if that's what I just received? Came in the typical MG Gundam style box design and I heard color was altered on the new version and was given vulcans, which what I'm seeing in this release. I can't compare it to my old Unicorn kit cause it's been boxed up from my move.

Did I just get the upgrade or is it just a different boxed version and everything else is the same?

As far as I know, Unicorn had the initial release, a Titanium finish release, and there's another release coming soon with a Hangar/stand ala GP01 PG, and better knee articulation.

So there are 4 versions, Ka, Titanium, V1.5 and then HD which comes with the cage and 360 rotating hip parts and a few figures.Hm, think i would of perfered the HD one, but if there are improvements to this 1.5 version, I"m happy. Mostly hoping parts will be tighter. The Version Ka. I got is fairly loose showing the Psyco frame parts on the chest when in Norm. and his knee parts are very loose and his ankles seem to pop apart very easily.

So there are 4 versions, Ka, Titanium, V1.5 and then HD which comes with the cage and 360 rotating hip parts and a few figures.Hm, think i would of perfered the HD one, but if there are improvements to this 1.5 version, I"m happy. Mostly hoping parts will be tighter. The Version Ka. I got is fairly loose showing the Psyco frame parts on the chest when in Norm. and his knee parts are very loose and his ankles seem to pop apart very easily.

So, I'll cross my fingers.

Meh, this is why I quit MG's at the start of the ver 2 releases. I had quite an extensive collection going, only to have to re-buy them again? hell no, although Zeta 2.0 and MK.II were impressive. With that and the MG price jump, I said I might as well build PG's exclusively and occasionally G-system and I haven't regretted it. MG's are decent, but nothing feels more like an accomplishment or says kick ass like a foot tall Gundam with 700 or more parts and LEDS.

So there are 4 versions, Ka, Titanium, V1.5 and then HD which comes with the cage and 360 rotating hip parts and a few figures.Hm, think i would of perfered the HD one, but if there are improvements to this 1.5 version, I"m happy. Mostly hoping parts will be tighter. The Version Ka. I got is fairly loose showing the Psyco frame parts on the chest when in Norm. and his knee parts are very loose and his ankles seem to pop apart very easily.

So, I'll cross my fingers.

If I am not mistaken, you actually already got a HD version. Just that yours is the stand alone HD version without the MS Cage. Everything else should be the same (at least from the look of the images that came with it). Like mine with MS Cage, yours has the same darker metallic grey parts (ver. Ka is lighter), blue parts now have metallic flakes (ver.Ka is a plain blue), lighter grey weapons (ver. Ka is darker), white parts are actually light grey, with a more glossy coating (ver.Ka is plain white plastic), and you also got all the articulation improvements (waist & knees bend better). And the beam saber should be blue (pink for ver.Ka). Stickers/decals are also different (ver.Ka got much nicer stickers).

One little trick I find in building my Unicorn to tighten up joints is that, have some thin food wrap/plastic packaging bag handy(not the crispy bags the sprues came with, those are too hard or crispy). Where ever you feel like a joint is a bit loose, cut a small piece of those clear plastic wrap and slip it into the hinges or joint connection (like wrapping the stem or rod with the plastic/food wrap before connecting the halves), as a way to thicken the peg/rod of the hinges just a tad to add more friction. If one layer is not enough, you can fold the plastic wrap in 2 folds or 3 folds, to make it thicker. So you can adjust tightness you want by how thick you make the insert. The wrapping will be locked in place for good once the halves are closed up or the hinges are snapped together. But very reversible if its not tight enough or too tight, not like superglue trick, and works really well on this MG kit, as the ABS connections are pretty snug. It just need a little more thickness to get it perfect. Just make sure don't make it too thick to overly stress the joint hinge to cause stress mark or breakage, as the thin ABS can only take so much torgue on the joint. But that should be able to tighten a lot of the joints there, making your MG Unicorn very sturdy and stable on the key articulation points (ankles, knees, waist, elbows, neck...etc. Give it a try.

I always tighten joints by putting a layer of clear nail polish on each part and letting it dry before peicing the joint back together. Basically like the superglue trick but it doesn't have a chance of whitening/discoloring/warping the plastic.

I always tighten joints by putting a layer of clear nail polish on each part and letting it dry before peicing the joint back together. Basically like the superglue trick but it doesn't have a chance of whitening/discoloring/warping the plastic.

I used to do that now elmers white with some cotton ball material does the trick for the ball joints

In regards to the Unicorn. I am still waiting for My HD w/Cage but I suppose this has to be the best of the two releases, between the TIT non posable and Bland white. And you get a cage with a storage bin.

Hmmm, if mine was the HD version without cage I thought the color would be a tad different on the blue, a little more lighter perhaps? I could be wrong. Still none the less it's shaping up to be a better build than the first one. I'm done with the body cept the booster module, and I got the feet done. I'm not even gonna attempt to apply stickers it wont be "Anime" accurate...? lol

I'm 90% finished with the new RX-0, and wow guys, just wow. Tighter joints, little to no gaps for pysco frame appearing, and they really went all out on remolding armor parts. I can't recall how many times while transforming it to NT-D that the shoulder armor fell apart into a dozen pieces. Now, it's alllll remolded to half that amount, but still pull it off well I think.

If you got a Version Ka, ditch it, get the 2.0, sooooooo much cheaper I think and sooooooo much better.

I am an avid gundam fan, but I stick to toys because the models kind of scare me little.......

I like to mess about with my gundam toys, so can gundam models withstand regular posing and play, suppose a MG model??

Thanks, and sorry i am kind of a noob

Welcome to MWF. To a certain extent HG/MG models can be posed and played with, but they will last a lot longer if you don't. The polycaps that hold the joints and extremities together are not highly durable in my experience.